Cardiff midfielder Harry Arter has defended his role in the 'heat of battle' sending off of Huddersfield's Jonathan Hogg.

The second-half incident between the pair was the only major talking point of a guileless, goalless draw at the John Smith's Stadium, a match which served predominantly to reinforce expectations of a mutual relegation battle.

Hogg was dismissed shortly after the hour mark for pushing his head towards Arter then shoving him to the floor.

Cardiff midfielder Harry Arter has defended his role in Jonathan Hogg's red card on Saturday

Huddersfield's Hogg was sent off for a headbutt on Arter (left) in Saturday's 0-0 draw

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But by booking Arter too, and awarding a free-kick to the Terriers, referee Michael Oliver allocated initial blame to the Republic of Ireland international.

Huddersfield head coach David Wagner later suggested Arter had been 'clever', but the on-loan Bournemouth player felt he had no case to answer.

'It was heat of the battle, you sometimes get lost in the moment,' he told BBC Radio Five Live.

'I'm not sure what the ref gave me a yellow card for to be honest, if it was just getting involed in the frenzy.

'I felt there could have been a penalty on me in the first half and the same in the second. I was trying to make the referee aware of that and their lad wasn't too happy about that.

David Wagner suggested after the game that Arter had been 'clever' to get Hogg dismissed

Hogg (pictured) now faces a likely three-game ban for violent conduct following the incident

'We came face to face and I felt too much force in his head, which was sore. I'm not sure how it looks on TV... if he was pushed into me.

'He doesn't seem that sort of player but there was some force in the push.'

The Terriers will be grateful to have banked a first point of the season, particularly after the comprehensive nature of defeats by Chelsea and Manchester City, but Wagner has concerns up front.

After 270 minutes of Premier League action his side have mustered a solitary goal, scored by defender Jon Gorenc-Stankovic, as strikers Steve Mounie and Laurent Depoitre seek to kickstart their campaign.

'I am confident we are able to score goals this season,' said Wagner.

'It is not all about the strikers, it is about how you break the opponent down. We have to work with them and, for sure, we aren't on the peak of our performance, this is not where we can be after three games.

'So there is work to do but we take the good things out of this game - a clean sheet, fighting spirit, attitude. That is still there, I never doubted it but it's important everyone was able to see this.'